Mink, Silk and Faux Mink Extensions – What’s The Difference?

While faux mink tends to be the most popular material for eyelash extensions these days, there actually several different kinds. It's easy to get confused with all the "mink/faux mink talk", throw in "silk" and you're like...huh? Let's break down what the different types of eyelash extensions are and how they differ from each other.

Mink, Faux Mink, and Silk extensions are the most commonly used. The main difference between them comes down to their firmness, are they real fur, faux fur or are they synthetic.

Mink

Usually used on older clients or those going for an extremely natural look. The allure of extensions made from mink hair is that they have a natural quality to them that you cannot get from synthetic material. Real Mink lashes come from the Mink tail, usually coming from either the Siberian Mink or the Chinese Mink. With Mink extensions, you'll get a light, fluffy, soft natural look. Real mink lashes usually last longer because they are so light as well as being able to apply several mink extensions per natural lash. The downside to this type of extension is that not only are they expensive, ranging from $300-$500 per set, but they also do not come curled. Real mink lashes need to be permed and you'll have to keep curling them at home to maintain that curled look.

Faux Mink

Faux mink eyelash extensions are the most popular extensions used by lash artists today. These man made, poly-fiber lashes come in a variety of lengths, diameters and curls, have good flexibility and remain somewhat natural looking depending on the length. They're designed to imitate real mink fur, but lash artists and clients both love this of extension type because the curl is permanent and they're low maintenance. No need to curl or put mascara on these types of extensions. The Faux Mink lashes are a little more bold, slightly glossier than the Silk and Mink. Because of their variety of size and length they're great for customizing different looks for each client.

Silk

These are the mid-weight type of lash extensions, and are finer and more flexible than the synthetic type which makes their retention slightly better. Because of their light weight, silk lashes are good to use on older clients or clients with weak and flimsy natural lashes. Like synthetic lashes, silk come in a variety of curls and lengths. These types of extensions also hold their curl but the curl tends to be less uniform then synthetic lashes, making them better for clients looking for a more natural look. Silk lashes tend to be thicker than any other type of extensions and also have that rick black color. Silk eyelash extensions tend to be the least comfortable type of extension and are best used for special occasions.

Deciding between the different types of eyelash extensions to use will depend on your client. Their age, the occasion, the look they're going for will all play a factor in deciding which extension to work with. What type of extension do you most work with? Let us know in the comments below!